News Item: December newsletter
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ARE YOU PLANNING A WHITE CHRISTMAS?
Although we are not expecting snow anywhere here in East Africa this time of the year, we are looking forward to a “white “ Christmas! Wouldn’t that be amazing if every companionship in Uganda Kampala Mission would be found accompanying a family dressed in white to celebrate the Christmas weekend by being baptized on the 21 December. Start planning now for a “white Christmas” baptizing experience. During the Christmas season, schools are out and families take holidays. But missionary work doesn’t take a break for the holidays.
The white missionary handbook explains that “holidays are excellent opportunities for finding and teaching because many families are together.” This may mean dealing with more rejection than usual, but have faith that if a family is being prepared for the gospel, you will be led to them or they will be led to you. Let’s have a white Christmas this year!
MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT AND SISTER CHRISTENSEN
At the end of the harvest season in 1621, the Pilgrim colonists in America joined with their Native American neighbors for a feast to celebrate their first successful harvest. They spent several days rejoicing together, and giving thanks to God for preserving their lives during the previous harsh winter. This was the beginning of the Thanksgiving Day holiday which is being celebrated in America this week. It was first proclaimed a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.
Many different cultures have celebrated a harvest feast in gratitude for the crops which they have gathered in. Native Americans in both North and South America observed many rituals giving thanks to a supreme spirit. Anciently, the Greeks, Romans, Chinese, East Indians and many others had harvest traditions. In West Africa, the Yam festival highlighted the first of the crops to be harvested.
One of the Christ-like attributes listed in Preach My Gospel is that of gratitude. It is one which we all think we have, but too often perhaps, we fail to express that gratitude as much as we could. After the last group of missionaries came from the Johannesburg MTC, we found several little thank-you notes in the form of folded-paper white shirts! They were sincerely appreciated, are your many expressions of gratitude in your letters to the president.
We are so very grateful to you wonderful young men and women missionaries of the Uganda Kampala Mission. You are great examples of faith and courage, not only to the people of Uganda and Ethiopia, but to us. Your enthusiasm keeps us going! We give thanks every day for the privilege of sharing this part of your lives with you.
We invite you to join with us on Thursday, November 27, in writing in your journals a special expression of thanks to our Heavenly Father for the blessings He has given you. We will call it our Mission Day of Thanksgiving.
Our love to each of you,
President and Sister Christensen
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